Four Overlooked Sephardic Communities
Summary of the Sephardic World presentation by Ton Tielen and David Mendoza on 18 August 2024
- The Sephardic Jewish Community of Dublin, Ireland
The sources describe the Sephardic Jewish community in Dublin, Ireland as small and not well-known. The community likely began forming around 1718 when a group of Sephardic Jews purchased land for a cemetery. There is a report that there may have been a synagogue in the mid-17th century but this is probably an exaggeration. The community may have dwindled by the middle of the 18th century, as there are records of families leaving Ireland for London. However, there are records of some Sephardic Jewish families living in Ireland during the latter half of the 18th century. There is evidence that the Dublin community was connected to a Sephardic community in Madras, India through trade.
- The Sephardic Jewish Community of Madras, India
The sources describe a Sephardic Jewish community in Madras, India (modern day Chennai) that was involved in the diamond trade. Portuguese Jews began settling in India after Vasco de Gama reached India in 1498. The Portuguese established forts and trading posts along the coast of India. The East India Company was established by the British in 1600 and began competing with the Portuguese for trade in India. Jews were involved in the East India Company from its early days. Some Jews travelled to India to trade, and by 1687 there is a record of a Jew being buried in the Jewish cemetery in Madras. The main trade for the Sephardic Jews in Madras was diamonds, which they exported to Europe, and coral, which they imported to India.
- The Sephardic Jewish Community of Glückstadt, Germany
The sources describe a Sephardic Jewish community in Glückstadt, Germany that was established in the early 17th century at the invitation of King Christian IV of Denmark. The community was granted privileges such as freedom of religion, freedom to trade, and the right to build a synagogue and have their own cemetery. The community in Glückstadt never grew as large as King Christian IV may have hoped. The Jewish community in Hamburg was supportive of the Glückstadt community, as they saw it as a potential safe haven should their position in Hamburg deteriorate. However, the community in Glückstadt declined during the second half of the 18th century.
- The Sephardic Jewish Community of The Hague, Netherlands
The sources describe a Sephardic Jewish community in The Hague, Netherlands that was established in the 17th century. Initially, the community was too small to have a dedicated synagogue and instead met in house synagogues. In 1726, a new synagogue was constructed on the Prinsengracht that was modeled after the Portuguese synagogue in Amsterdam. The community was officially established in 1743 when two existing congregations merged together. The Jewish cemetery in The Hague was unique in that it had both Sephardic and Ashkenazi burials.